A minimum of seven souls lost their lives and many others are missing following a boat transporting around 200 migrants attempting to reach the European continent sank near the shoreline of the Gambian coast, reports confirm.
The boat overturned on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack village in the North Bank Region and it was later found "beached on a shoal", the Gambian military authorities said in a statement.
96 individuals were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for other passengers who were traveling on the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has emerged as a rising pathway for African migrants seeking entry into the EU.
Almost 47,000 individuals reached the Canary Islands in last year and figures suggest in excess of 9,000 people perished during the journey.
Rescue Operation
Following the Wednesday incident, The Gambian Navy initiated a rescue mission, deploying several naval vessels and a fishing boat that joined the effort, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate several of the victims are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The bodies of the seven victims who perished at sea have been recovered, and ten of the survivors are reported to be in critical condition and getting immediate medical attention.
A Common Migration Route
The Gambia is a frequent corridor taken by asylum seekers trying to reach European countries, often on dangerous journeys over water and land.
Recently, the European bloc has forged deals with multiple Maghreb states aimed at reducing irregular migration.
